Editor John Minnis of Grosse Pointe News
Says Local Paper Aims to be a Good Neighbor
“We consider ourselves citizens of the community, and cover you like you're our neighbor,” said Grosse Pointe News editor, John Minnis, addressing the Eastside Republican Club.
Minnis shared his perspective on the role community newspapers play in covering local politics at the club's February meeting. He explained that while most community newspapers avoid the risk of making endorsements, The Grosse Pointe News does not hesitate to take an editorial stand at election time.
He emphasized that The Grosse Pointe News is “objective as far as our write-ups.” With respect to the paper's editorial page, however, Minnis was not bashful in declaring, “We are a Republican newspaper.”
In reporting on office seekers, Minnis said The Grosse Pointe News doesn't “look for warts” on local candidates. He explained that the paper is “thankful for their willingness to serve their community.” Consequently, he said, reporters “don't pry into personal lives.”
With regard to candidate endorsements, he acknowledged that the paper generally endorses incumbents, in view of the sacrifice the citizen has made. The paper's editorial board is comprised of Minnis and the paper's publisher, Robert Edgar.
Minnis admitted, “Reviewing letters to the editor is one of my most difficult jobs.” He added that in the interest of balance, as a matter of policy, the paper publishes no citizen letters either for or against individual candidates.
Minnis, 47, has committed his professional career to community journalism, and is both editor and general manager of the Grosse Pointe News and The St. Clair Shores Connection. He joined the editorial staff of the Grosse Pointe paper as reporter in 1988, and has been editor since 1994.
In 1992, Minnis became founding editor of The Connection Newspaper that serves the communities of Harper Woods and St. Clair Shores.
Minnis attended Macomb Community College, Wayne State, and Michigan State University, where he earned a M.A. in journalism. At Wayne State he studied under Wilbur Elston who was editorial page editor of the Grosse Pointe News. Since graduation he has served papers in Utica, Mich., Atlanta, Ga., and Grosse Pointe. Minnis and Terry, his wife of 26 years, live in Roseville.
